[thechat] "I guess we'll buy them"

[Joe Crawford]

Erika Meyer wrote:
> 
> >Believe me, if I'd seen someone with some cogent realistic
> >analysis that's a win-win all around I'd be forwarding the FUCK out of
> >it. Spread the good memes, I'll say.
> >
> >But there isn't any yet. Red cross donations maybe. Blood drives (have
> >you given yet?) Calls to prevent violence on Arab-Americans.
> 
> this is what I'm not understanding.
> 
> In all the media you've been exposed to, all the discussions you've
> engaged in,you haven't heard any analysis of value?  Or just on the
> Internet?

here and there, scattered bits. but analysis of what's wrong say, with
American global policy, and American domestic flights, and background
analysese on why we have Bin Laden, and why Afghanistan is in the state
it's in, and how it's all tied up in Oil, Isreal, American troups in
Saudi, etc - all kinds of snippets.

I /do/ want to hear someone who can put these pieces of the puzzle
together in a coherent way.

> You haven't bothered to counter specific arguments, you just discount
> everyone else's attempts to get a handle on things with one big
> sweeping generalization.

??

I just want to read an essay that ties it together in a way that can
mobilize the world in a positive way. I believe in the power of populism
in this country, and I want to harness the good sense of the American
people -- obverwhelmingly there is a disconnect between the US GOVT and
the US Citizenry. Only by waking the beast can we stem the calls for WAR
WAR WAR.

But to harness that power, we need it to be understandable by a
citizenry, the majority of whom do not vote, or engage in the political
sphere.

See the problem?

Talk is great, but I want trying to point a flashlight toward a solution
that has a chance of happening.

> As for me, I've heard a lot of interesting POV's on the web and off,
> and I have learned a great deal.

Same here. But it's only with sustained effort to filter and read. My
countrymen and women do not have time for sustained effort. And these
are they who can truly change things. IMO.

> The thoughtfulness, reflection, and intelligent exchange of ideas is
> what keeps me from despair.  But I'm not looking for nor expecting an
> "easy" answer.

Well, were we all to believe in human love, and that we should not kill
one another, that would be easy. But it's humans we're dealing with, so
that's not an option.

> I'm just trying to decide how I personally am going to respond to the
> current state of affairs.  It's important to me that I respond in a
> way that is consistent with my beliefs and values.
> 
> Discussions such as this are helpful to me as I make decisions about
> my life, my lifestyle, my personal response.

Well that's great. But time is a factor, and we need to get the entire
world to respond in a cohesive way.

I truly fear a world war here. These /are/ the stakes.

>From Full Metal Jacket:
"It's a big shit sandwich and we're all gonna have to take a bite"

	- Joe <http://artlung.com/>